Cable monitoring control for winding drums



Dec. 18, 1962 R. BLAIR CABLE MONITORING CONTROL FOR WINDING DRUMS United States Patent 3,069,140 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 ice , 3,069,140 CABLE MONITORING CONTROL FOR WINDING DRUMS Robert Blair, Johannesburg, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa, assignor to Anglo American Corporation of South Africa Limited, Johannesburg, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa Filed June 23, 1960, Ser. No. 38,171 Claims priority, application Republic of South Africa May 7, 1956 16 Claims. (Cl. 254--173) The invention relates to winding systems in which a rope is wound on to a drum in multiple layers and in which it is important that false coiling be avoided. The invention is also concerned with winding systems in which two or more ropes are simultaneously wound on to a drum or drums in multi-layers, and in which the layering of the several layers must be synchronous. This condition obtains for instance in certain mine hoisting systems where a cage is suspended from two ropes or more. If the layering is out of synchronism the full load is taken by the remaining rope or ropes until the badly layered Safety.

The present application is a continuation-impart of U.S. patent application Serial No. 657,568, filed on May 7, 1957, now abandoned.

The object of the present invention is to provide a safetydevice which is operative to act, for instance, to immobilize the system or to give warning the instant that fiaulty layering occurs.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a side view partly sectioned of a monitoring device applied to a winch drum,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG- URE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of an assembly in which the winch drum has two compartments,

FIGURE 4 is a circuit diagram of the monitoring device, and

FIGURE 5 is a circuit diagram of some protective operations.

In FIGURES 1 and 2, is part of the drum. 12 shows multiple layers of rope coiled round the drum.

In FIGURE 3, the drum 10a has two identical compantments 10b and 10c, separated by a circumferential wall 11. A rope 12a, 12b is wound round the drum in each compartment in multiple layers.

In both embodiments a contact member 14 is arranged adjacent the drum and stretches across its width. It is spaced from the rope a distance less than the rope diameter.

In FIGURE 3, the contact member has a central notch 15 in register with the wall 11. Otherwise it is the same as the member of FIGURE 2.

While coiling is proceeding smoothly, the contact member never touches the rope, that is to say, as each new layer forms, the contact member is drawn back, away from the drum. The member 14 is constrained against rotation by guides 16. Step-by-step rearward movement is imposed on the contact member by an electro-magnetic system comprising a plunger 18 hinged at 20 to the contact member and carrying a series of solenoid armatures 22, 23, 24 which are three in number in the embodiment, but may be two, four or more depending on the number of layers of rope to be formed.

The contact member 14 is biased by a spring 26 to a normal position in which it bears against stops 28 on the plunger 18.

It will be observed that the solenoid .armatures 22, 23, 24 on the plunger 18 are spaced apart differently from the spacing of the solenoid coils 30, 31, 32 and in such a way that progressive energizing of the coils will cause travel of the plunger 18.

The progressive energizing of the coils is effected by a cam and contact mechanism (FIGURE 4). The shaft 34 of the cam 36 is geared to the drum shaft. The several contacts 40, 41, 42 are so arranged that the coils 30, 31, 32 are progressively energized as the cam 36 rotates in synchronism with the drum 10 through the circuits 44, 45, 46 respectively.

Set in advance of each contact 40, 41, 42 is an additional contact 48, 49, 50 respectively, which through the circuits 52, 53, 54 respectively, operates a locking coil 56. This locking coil operates latch 58 (FIGURE 1) which is engaged in any one of a series of notches 60, 61, 62 in the plunger 18 and the purpose of which is to hold the plunger stationary while the solenoids are unenergized and to limit the travel of the plunger. The latch is biased into engagement with the notches by a spring 64. The locking coil 56 draws the latch out of engagement with the plunger 18 momentarily, just before ,energization of each solenoid coil occurs, to permit the plunger to move; then releases the latch which drops into the next notch to arrest the plunger; and so on. v

The notches are, of course, spaced apart exactly a rope diameter, so that the contact member 14 is always withdrawn that distance; and the cam 36 is so arranged that this withdrawal occurs just before the new rope layers start to form.

A directional switch 66 may be provided to select forward and reverse operation of the plunger; the leads generally numbered 68 being understood to be connected to duplicate circuits operated by a reverse direction earn 7 0 on the shaft 34. Thus, as the rope is payed out, the contact member is advanced progressively.

Should faulty layering occur a new layer will start to form prematurely and in advance of the next rearward step of the contact member 14. Thereupon the rope makes contact with the member and tilts it about its hinges 20. When this occurs an arm 72 on the member causes contacts 74 to open. The contacts are included in a circuit 76.

The circuit 76 may be arranged to render operative any device that star-ts a protective operation. Thus it could be part of the circuit of the motor driving the drum 10. Alternatively it could include a relay 81 that normally holds the motor circuit 82 closed by means of contacts 83 as shown in FIGURE 5. Alternatively or additionally the relay 81 could hold contacts 84 closed. The contacts 84 are included in a circuit that operates a warning bell 85 and a warning light 86.

If the motor circuit is tripped, the motor is restarted to pay out the rope sufiiciently to correct the faulty layering and winding is commenced. If only a warning device is used, the hoist attendant would bring the drum 10 to a standstill as soon as is expedient. When the drum 10 has been brought to a standstill, the rope is slowly payed out until the warning device stops giving its warning signal and winding recommences.

I claim:

1. A winding system for moving a load comprising a cylindrical drum, a rope wound round the drum in multiple layers and adapted to be attached to a load, a motor to drive the drum and a member to monitor the layering of the rope onto the drum associated with and extending across the width of the drum, means to displace the mem ber step by step, in advance of each new layer of rope as the layer is formed, by a distance equal to the rope diameter, and means to arrest the system or to provide a signal if a new layer starts to form prematurely.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the arresting means includes means to trip the motor.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the means providing a signal includes a warning device.

4. The system of claim 1, including electrical contacts on the member operable by contact with the rope on the drum to actnate the arresting or signalling means.

5. The system of claim 4, including a plunger on which the electrical contacts are mounted and means to retract the plunger in steps.

6. The system of claim 5, in which the retracting means includes multiple solenoids, the cores of which are mounted on the plunger, and means driven synchronously with the drum to energize the solenoid coils after the completion of each successive complete layer of rope wound on the drum.

7. The system of claim 6, including a latch associated with the plunger to limit its travel and to maintain it in position after it has been retracted.

8. The system of claim 7, comprising elements on the plunger that are located to engage the latch and are displaced along the length of the plunger in steps equal to the rope diameter.

9. A winding system for moving a load comprising a cylindrical drum, a circumferential wall dividing the drum into two identical compartments; in respect of each compartmen-t a rope wound round the drum in multiple layers and in the same circumferential and axial directions, both ropes being adapted to be attached to a load, a motor to drive the drum, and a member to monitor the layering of the ropes onto the drum associated with and extending across the width of each compartment, means to displace the member step by step in advance of each new layer of rope as the layer is formed by a distance equal to the rope 4 diameter, and means to arrest the system or to provide a signal if a new layer starts to form prematurely.

10. The system of claim 9, in which the arresting means includes means to trip the motor.

11. The system of claim 9, in which the means providing a signal includes a warning device.

12. The system of claim 9, including electrical contacts on the member operable by contact with the rope on the drum to actuate the arresting or signalling means.

13. The system of claim 12, including a plunger on which the electrical cont acts are mounted and means to retract the plunger in steps.

14. The system of claim l3,'in which the retracting means includes multiple solenoids, the cores of which are mounted on the plunger, and means driven synchronously with the drum to energize the solenoid coils after the completion of each successive complete layer of rope wound on the drum.

15. The system of claim 14, including a latch associated with the plunger to limit its travel and to maintain it in position after it has been retracted.

16. The system of claim 15, comprising elements on the plunger that are located to engage the latch and are displaced along the length of the plunger in steps equal to the rope diameter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

